United Kingdom: Green light for a 5,000-person clinical trial on cannabis

The British healthcare system is set to organize Canpain, a large-scale clinical study regarding cannabis. Health authorities have just given the green light, reports The Times. The goal will be to see if the plant is effective for chronic pain.

Medical cannabis is already legal in the United Kingdom, but It's a bit of a fiasco, between high prices and strict eligibility requirements. The government is therefore considering expanding this program. Before doing so, however, it wants evidence that THC, CBD, and other cannabinoids are effective against chronic pain. That is why this new research is being launched.

The National Health Service (NHS) will bring together 10,000 Britons suffering from pain. These patients will be divided into two groups of 5,000, roughly identical in terms of age, gender, and physical condition. The first group vape cannabis every day, using a cartridge and a vape pen. He will then note whether he experiences any improvement in pain, sleep, or nausea. The second patient will receive conventional medication.

Clearly, this study will not be «randomized»—that is, it will not include a placebo for one of the two groups. Yet this is one of the principles of the most rigorous studies, allowing for an unbiased comparison. In any case, after one year, the scientists hope to gain a clearer understanding on the role of cannabis in chronic pain.

15 million Britons could use medical cannabis

Patient advocacy groups hope the study will provide concrete evidence of the medical benefits of cannabis. If the study is conclusive, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence could allow 15 million Britons to use the plant for medical treatment.

Cannabis companies also have high hopes for it. In fact, one of them—LVL Health—will be conducting this study. British health authorities will oversee the study and then have it reviewed by other scientists.

This study is scheduled to begin «as soon as possible», announced Last month, the health minister in The Independent. For Maria Caulfield, the stakes are high. «The current state of research is limited and of poor quality. Studies with few patients do not yield sufficient results to inform decision-making.» With 10,000 Britons enrolled in this study, the results could be decisive.